I know many of you will think we're nuts, but we've decided for various reasons that we're moving from Wellington, New Zealand to somewhere near the M4 IT corridor. I'm probably completely bonkers, but I'd really like to bring my CB750 F1 with me.

It's nothing too special, it's just taken me a while to get it back on the road, and I'd hate to sell it. I've owned K's in my youth and had always wanted an F so when I saw it on eBay I bought it. I've moved it from Melbourne to Sydney and then to NZ so far.

I also know it's probably going to cost me the price of another one just to move it, but what I'd really like to know is if there are any gotcha's or ways to reduce customs, taxes, etc?

Is stripping and boxing it the way to go or should I just sell it and buy another once I land?

Try shipping with Wallenius and Willhelm - roll-on-roll-off. Its the cheapest I found when shipping from the US to UK (and then back again a few years later). Unless the rules have changed since 2002 you shouldn't be paying customs fees since you have owned the bike longer than 1 yr. The only extra money you have to pay once the boat/bike arrives is port fees which I think at the time were 100 pounds. Thats it. You go to the port pick up the bike and ride it home (as I did). Then...get it inspected (vin number), get a registration and plate number, get some insurance (Carol Nash has some great deals for vintage bikes) and you are good to go. Pretty easy really.

rhos1355

Get all the paperwork you can lay your hands on for the bike: registration papers, bill of sale etc just to prove you've owned the bike for a few years. Log onto the DVLA (Driving, and Vehicle Licencing Agency) and look up the info about importing a personal vehicle to the country. If it's a non-runner, then that's a different kettle of fish, I think then you have to go thru the HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs). The reason I say this is 'cos in order to get vehicle registration in the uk you have to pass the vehicle thru one of the scrutiny centres where they check if the vehicle is roadworthy or not. Not roadworthy? No licence /reg papers. The good thing about this country is that there is LOTS of info on the net about this sort of thing.

Get all the paperwork you can lay your hands on for the bike: registration papers, bill of sale etc just to prove you've owned the bike for a few years. Log onto the DVLA (Driving, and Vehicle Licencing Agency) and look up the info about importing a personal vehicle to the country.......

By the way..................in the nicest way possible, I think you're out of your skull, mate.

Thanks for the advice guys, I doubt we'll get the Willenhaus RORO's down here, but it's worth a look. When I bought her over from Australia it cost me $400 for a second hand crate so RORO would cut that out.

I've got registration papers and VIN for both Aus and NZ and receipt of sale etc, so I'm sorted there.

I know this sounds like a strange move rhos1355, but we spent 12 years in London and Sydney before coming home to NZ 18 months ago, which frankly was a really bad move. Can't wait to get back to the UK. Looking to keep life a little simpler :-), hence the desire to live well outside of London but still in striking distance of jobs.

Cheers.

Logged

1976 CB750F, 1985 CB700, 1986 CB700 (Red,White & Blue)

rhos1355

Thanks for the advice guys, I doubt we'll get the Willenhaus RORO's down here, but it's worth a look. When I bought her over from Australia it cost me $400 for a second hand crate so RORO would cut that out.

I've got registration papers and VIN for both Aus and NZ and receipt of sale etc, so I'm sorted there.

.........Looking to keep life a little simpler :-), hence the desire to live well outside of London but still in striking distance of jobs.

Hey SteveD, Wokingham is actually our No.2 pick at the moment. Jo and I are both in I.T related roles, so being close to the M4 and Reading for work is a strong pull, and I've heard good things about Wokingham.

Small market town that retains (mostly) its charm but is only 10 miles from Reading which is more or less "IT Central" in England's Silicon Valley.

Comes top (or close) in the quality of life charts every year - mainly due to low unemployment, low crime, proximity to main line railway and motorways, good schools etc.

Bad bits:Pressure of development on green spaces.House prices are high...

Hey thanks for the feedback Steve, looking at your business I'm really starting to think that I should sell my F1 locally here in NZ, (might get 2000-3000 pounds for it) save on the shipping (another 500 quid at least) and visit your shop when I land.

I shipped a bike from the US last year with Kingstown Shipping of Hull, Mark Cowley, definitely the best deal I could find, they use spare container space for bikes. Tried W&W as Andy suggested but they will not work with you directly only through a shipping agent, that is where the problems began. HMRC are only interested in taxes being paid not condition of bike. I can give you more info if needed.

rhos1355

My first question would be, why?You're moving from a spacious & sunny part of the world to a cramped, rainy, misty, provincial island. Where you need planning permission to fart!No, it's not as bad as that. Actually it has a lot of good things going for it. It's one of the few true democracies in this planet. That's maybe why it takes us soooo long to do anything: everybody has to cast their 2 pennies worth before anything can be done. Then the ones that lose out take to the streets of london and start a mini riot. At the end of which everyone goes off to the pub for a couple of pints before heading of back home. Pretty fair.What are you qualified as?? Are you a British citizen? Do you have any rights (grandma was a brit, or something) to becoming a Brit. If so you can just swan in and take your pick, otherwise my advice would be to get a job first, then come over.You're not by any chance a Brazilian plumber?